Camp Mighty in Your Words

While I’m writing thank you notes, ironing muslin bags for advent kits, and arranging for a six-foot rocket to be delivered to my one-bedroom apartment, here’s what Camp Mighty attendees are saying about our weekend in Palm Springs. Now that I read them all together, they kind of read like an ad, which makes sense because we paid every attendee handsomely to say nice things about Camp Mighty on the Internet. Thanks, guys!

Photo by Lisa Congdon, this is the aftermath of her spectacular Space Camp costume. Click through to see it in action.

Leslie of Lights and Letters, “It does actually rain in Palm Springs. I was there when it happened. BUT! If you spend four hours in the hot tub drinking champagne punch you will hardly notice.”

Meg Keane of A Practical Wedding, “[Kenna] had a realization that most of us wait to do good till we’ve built our careers, or till we’re in a place where we can do more good, and that’s not good enough.”

Heather Armstrong of Dooce, “Camp Mighty is pretty much the more crowded version of The Mighty Summit that I attended in Wine Country last year. The goal of these events is to get drunk fall over borrow weed from the guy upstairs explore the idea of what it is you really want your life to be. And what is standing in your way.” (Heather wrote two posts actually.)

Anna of Positively Anna, “One of the most powerful messages I took away from this weekend is that we don’t have to conquer everything alone. In fact, it is a whole lot more fun to do it together.”

Margit Detweiler of What’s Your System, “Mornings kicked off with inspirational chats from creative folk like Oprah producer Brian Piotrowicz, artist Lisa Congdon and Facebook Content Strategist Evany Thomas. Using a alternately creepy and hilarious cuddle party as metaphor, Evany listed out ’10 Easy Ways to Do More Things You Don’t Want to Do.'”

Cecily Kellog at Babble, “Overall, Camp Mighty was a great time with constant surprises. It was far different than any other social media conference I’ve attended.”

Photo by Sarah at Sawk Photography. (I totally subverted her methods for keeping people from stealing it so I could show you. Sarah, take me to task in comments if you want me to take it down, and I will. It is rad.)

Jules of Pancakes and French Fries, “Lisa Congdon’s talk at Camp Mighty was my favorite… She started off her talk by sharing she is a big introvert. I know the feeling. Then she spoke about her life and how she changed it, focusing on the last five years of explosive, prolific growth. It was inspiring to see how someone around my age folded themselves into a chrysalis and emerge changed and renewed. Come to think of it, that’s what her talk did to me.”

Megan from Not Martha, “The afternoons were filled with a refreshingly non-imperative collection of skill building events that included learning to saber open a bottle of champagne, throw a punch, make champagne punch, make a mix tape, meditate, make a balloon animal, have personal swim instruction, or learn to use one of those heavy duty fire extinguishers.”

Erica of The Elbow, “I’ve told a few people about it and how amazing it was. That the people were some of the coolest, nicest, most genuine people I’ve ever met. The response I’m getting is “Oh, that’s cool”. Which is kind of like saying “Oh that’s cool” when you see the Northern Lights for the first time. It just doesn’t do it justice.” (Erica has a second post here.)

Jen Epting, “At that moment, [Evany Thomas] realized that she had a choice. Do you lean into the worst version of yourself, the one who longs for life to roll out wide and long ahead of you towards retirement? Or do you hold yourself to the highest standard? ‘Stay gold,’ she told us.”

Photo from Andrea at Flights of Fancy, “The ladies that were standing around in fact looked a little scared and creeped out. One gal came up to me afterwards and said, ‘So do you hit things often?'”

Eden Kennedy of Fussy, “Today at Camp Mighty we had our team lunches, where the group of people we raised money with for Charity: Water got together to read five things from our life lists to the rest of the group. If you, the listener, knew of a way to help the list reader take a step toward one of the items on their list, you spoke up and said so. Do you need 200 pounds of sand for your playground project? Well, there happens to be someone sitting behind you whose best friend’s cousin’s father is the head of Home Depot. Maybe they can help you.” (Eden also has posts here and here.)

Ellie of Things I Ate in General, “I’ve spent the past few days in Palm Springs attending Camp Mighty. In this time I have: made a balloon animal, sprayed a fire extinguisher into a field, learned how to throw a punch, learned how to make punch, gotten a Mondrian painted on my hand to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities, sipped Tang cocktails while dressed as Amy Pond, had my picture taken for a street fashion blog, sat in a hot tub in the rain, and more!”

@Sharon, do it, do it, do! it! Life lists are the shit. Just sit down in a comfy spot with the beverage of your choice, some tunes and dream it up. The big, the small, the crazy, the practical. All of it. Nothing says you can’t edit it later. Just start.

So when I put “make a cartoon” on my life list and then three days later someone walks up and gives me a copy of a book about how to draw cartoons? I guess it’s just a coincidence, but it feels like magic.

Sarah Says:

Note to self: have money and don’t be 7 months pregnant when the next Camp Mighty rolls around.

so since 2011 required me to reach a couple really important milestones that have me feeling srsly awesome for the first time in years, I will be able to afford Camp Mighty 2012. when may we sign up?!!?!! I’m ready to teach my cherry stem mouth knot tying technique to all. congrats Maggie, this looks incredibly rad.

I left Camp Mighty with a spring in my step, ideas swirling, and a full, full heart. What a magical experience. And 2 days later I got to swim with a dolphin!! It’s like Evany said — make room for serendipity. It works, it works, it works!!!!!